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Crankcase Clean-up gone bad.

indydan

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
The spread of bad advice.

I figure some of you may want to know about this ( and some of you won't ) Or don't want to believe it.

This is not new by any stretch, I have seen this for years on heads and cylinders.

I have been doing alot of Polaris 700/800 crankcase machining and line boring and this problem started effecting the repair of some cases.

Ok, these little 3M type cleaning wheels( there all different types ) but they all do about the same thing. You put them on a mandrel and insert them into a HIGH SPEED air tool ( 20,000 RPM ) I know what some of you are thinking............( I got the touch !! ) I control the speed, and I lightly skim it accross the surface not doing any damage.

WRONG,WRONG.WRONG.

These little high speed items are pushed heavily by tool truck drivers accorss the country to save time.

I will tell you this........... More car and truck blocks and heads have been ruined by these tools then any other tool ever produced.

I personaly had a 1985 Honda Civic I bought with 90,000 miles on it, Head gasket failed at 105,000 miles, took it in and had it replaced the second head gasket failed in 30,000 miles took it in and had it replaced again, the thrid gasket failed in less then 5000 miles. I took the the car back to the shop and I said this is impossible I told him to take it apart and I want to see the gasket. he called me and told me it was apart and to come over.

I walk into the shop and there on top the wheel well was the old gasket that was blowen out right between cylinder 2 & 3 and 3 & 4 in the narrow area in the centers where the cylinders get close together on the block.

And guess what lay there hooked to the air hose..............I said you don't use that to clean the block and the head do you................ He said I sure do what the hell else would I use........ You think I got time to hand scrape these blocks???

I said you single handedly wrecked my motor with that ( POS ) We argued alitte, and I said I will prove it.

I want the motor pulled and I will come get it and the head, I will machine both of them and bring them back and will try this again.

Of coruse he tried to tell me that this happens from time, and also driving it with a blowen head gasket ( WRONG ) the block is cast iron and the head is alum. I didn't drive it with it blowen --------- And if I did it would ruined the head not the block. Head gaskets blow on these motors because of dissimlar metal heads and blocks. Alum head on a cast iron block both expand at a different rate and gaskets can fail.

Ok, Head & block both machined ( on a machine with CBN tooling ) not some piece of sh!t rotary broach that makes things worse then they were before you started because the machine shop is so far behind the times it should be closed. Rotary broaches should be outlawed.

Ladies & Gentalmen - When you take your stuff to a dealer make sure you find out where they take your stuff to get machined.....

Most gaskets have a required finish they need to have ( the smoother the surface the better the gasket will bite onto the surface.

DON'T EVER let someone tell you that gaskets bite better when the surface has machining grooves..........If you can feel them with your finger nail in ANY WAY there to rough. ( Seeing machine marks yes, Feel them..........No )

OPPPPSSS!!!!!!! By the way, My old Honda went over 125,000 miles on the last head gasket and I sold it and it still runs today.

I have had 3 crankcase come thru the shop that were complete destroyed by these cleaning tools............. And yes a few came thru that also did pass but it was close.

Just think............. If the ones that were close had been done one more time the crankcases would be to tight and they would stick a bearing and lock rite-up.

These are Exotic little motors that make unbelievable amountof power for what they are, These are not 1968 Chevy small blocks and the ONLY way to clean them is by hand or expensive cleaning machines.

Do yourself, And or your customers a HUGE favor..........DO NOT CLEAN WITH A HIGH SPEED AIR GRINDER.

There is no way for you to imagin how much metal these tools remove.

Dan.
 
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Hey, I agree with you. Nobody should use these on a small engine.

However, my Dad would use them on the oil pans of D9 diesel engines, and never had a problem after 30 years.
 
Wouldn't disagree with you on the 3m disc problem were cast and aluminum meet. I've been wrenching for over 20 years, there is a place for them just use the matter between your ears when useing them.
 
Took me and my kid about an hour to scrape his 700 cases Saturday even though I got a bunch of those scotchbrite discs in my box. There was evidence of one of these on the cylinder base side but none in the crank area so it should be ok.

Ask any reputable machinist they say the same thing.

I like to use those on stamped steel parts like oil pans, valve covers, and for removing paint and rust.
 
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Dan,
The Dealer Mechanics Are Idiots For The Most Part. Sled Dealerships Can Be The Same Way . This Is Why I Never Take My Truck Or My Sled To Any Shop Unless I Know Them Or They Have A Good Rep. I Own A Industrial Repair Shop And Finding A Decent Employee Is Nearly Imposible For Any Amount Of Money Especially In Oil Country Where "beat It To Fit And Paint It To Match Is The Way Things Are Done " And A Large Percentage Of The People Doing The Work Are Oblivious To The Fact They Are Complete Idiots!! Very Frustrating !!!
 
Damn it Dan get off the computer. You know you don't have time to be surfing when there are gaskets to be scraped. I find that my 4" angle grinder works the best for cleaning up the surfaces that way i get a good interference fit on the bearings and stop chattering hell that way you dont need to line bore it either. two birds one STONE.hahahahahahahaha
 
ok i totally understand the frustration of people in here and dan is right for sayin flat rate makes for sloppy work at times but not all dealers have ****ty techs i will say if u want to place the blame place it towards the manufacture for they have specific ways they want warranty repairs done and trust me some of the repairs i do not agree with at all. but i will say this if we ever got paid an hourly rate (a decent rate ) hahah i belive repairs would be more thoro and wouldnt need those little high speed grinders . not tryin to piss anyone off just givin the other sides opinion that is all . ohh and for ur honda the shop u had it at must not have a good machine shop cause i work for a dealer and the head is always sent out and the block deck is always checked
 
ok i totally understand the frustration of people in here and dan is right for sayin flat rate makes for sloppy work at times but not all dealers have ****ty techs i will say if u want to place the blame place it towards the manufacture for they have specific ways they want warranty repairs done and trust me some of the repairs i do not agree with at all. but i will say this if we ever got paid an hourly rate (a decent rate ) hahah i belive repairs would be more thoro and wouldnt need those little high speed grinders . not tryin to piss anyone off just givin the other sides opinion that is all . ohh and for ur honda the shop u had it at must not have a good machine shop cause i work for a dealer and the head is always sent out and the block deck is always checked

I understand, There are some out there that our good at their jobs, And the manufacture always makes things worse. ITS SOLD!!!!!!!!! so WAM BAM thank you MAM get it done and get it out of here till the warranty is gone.
 
The machine shop I take my stuff to loves to see mechanics using those things. Makes for lots of machine work to straighten out the crap these things create.
 
Dan, we've seen this for many years and have advised against it. But some mechanics still use them. Oh well, job security for us.
Funny you should mention the case halves. I just opened up two triples that had all surfaces messed up by some fool with one of those evil wheels. And I mean all surfaces including the case halves.
Don't be so negative about the rotary broach. It's not the machine, it's the cutters and how they're sharpened and set. It takes me hours to sharpen and set ours. I'll bet even you'd be impressed with the finish it'll leave.


"Don't leave a message because I won't answer it anyway" << LOL good one!
 
Rotary Broach

Dan,

Don't be so negative about the rotary broach. It's not the machine, it's the cutters and how they're sharpened and set. It takes me hours to sharpen and set ours. I'll bet even you'd be impressed with the finish it'll leave.
"Don't leave a message because I won't answer it anyway" << LOL good one!

Estevahn -- If you can make one of those things cut good your a Genius!!!!!!! Sounds like you know what your doing!! Some people can make any work.!!!
 
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